Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri share the front row on the starting grid in Melbourne, but who among them will emerge as the team’s number one? Max Verstappen and George Russell are waiting in the wings, while surprises like Yuki Tsunoda and Alex Albon challenge the established order. With Ferrari needing to regroup and rookies eager to impress, the opening phase of the Australian Grand Prix promises to be a spectacle.
The fact that the first starting row is entirely orange comes as no big surprise to many. McLaren finished at the top of the constructors’ championship last season and is seen as the strongest team at the start of 2025. The big question is: who will be the first driver? Will it be Norris again, or will Piastri have a more successful campaign? The first blow is worth a dollar, so both will do everything they can tomorrow to pull the race towards them.
Behind them, Max Verstappen and George Russell are on the second starting row. Both had to concede a bit on the lap times of the duo in front of them, but are quite satisfied with their performances. Especially since everyone had kind of assumed that the Ferraris would be here. However, it will be exciting to see how the Red Bull with starting number 1 and the Mercedes with starting number 63 get through the first corners after the lights have gone out. After all, Verstappen and Russell are not the best of friends and give each other no quarter. Will we see fireworks right away?
Verrassingen and Disappointments on the Starting Grid
The third starting row is perhaps the most surprising of all. Yuki Tsunoda (P5) and Alex Albon (P6) have truly squeezed the utmost out of their cars and have shown they are cut from the right racing cloth. Many thought Albon would be overshadowed by his new teammate Carlos Sainz (P10), but he is now walking around the paddock in Melbourne with a big smile. The same, of course, applies to Tsunoda. The Japanese driver was deemed too lightweight by Red Bull to be promoted, but sees Liam Lawson starting from P18.
Performance of Ferrari and Notable Rookies
Finally, the two Ferraris on the starting grid, a sight that stings in Maranello. The red cars were fast all weekend, but at the crucial moment, they hit a snag. In terms of speed, they should be able to make their way forward in the race, but if the goal is to compete with McLaren, they really need to step up their game.
Impressive Rookies on the Starting Grid
Lastly, the second part of the starting grid featured some notable rookies. Isack Hadjar performed exceptionally well by qualifying eleventh, making him the fastest newcomer on the grid. Gabriel Bortoleto also made a strong impression, starting from P15. The Brazilian managed to outperform his teammate and ‘qualifying beast’ Nico Hülkenberg. Kimi Antonelli (P16) and Liam Lawson (P18) were, of course, disappointed with the outcome, especially since their teammates are on the second starting row. Oliver Bearman, the last on the grid, reflects on the first two days in Melbourne with mixed feelings, as a lot went wrong for him.
Note: The race starts tomorrow morning at 05:00 Dutch time, which is 03:00 UTC.
